Of politicians and media aides

The political class should realize that media aides have so much positive results to deliver if allowed and given the support to do so.

Emma Iheanacho

I have heard people question the importance of media aides or their place in the scheme of things of a politician. What a question borne out of wrong perception and ignorance. Most people do not understand what the jobs of media aides are, and their contributions to the success of a politician.

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It is not entirely the fault of such ignorant persons but the system that we operate in.

It will equally be safe to say that politicians do not themselves understand the work architecture of media aides. Because the politicians’ knowledge of the importance of these aides are shallow, they do not maximise the benefits media aides bring to bear.

For the avoidance of doubt, media aides are extremely important in the life of a politician. Unfortunately, because of the quackery that pervades every segment of our life, the work of media aides has been thrown up to every Dick, Tom and Harry. And because of the peculiarity of our environment, it is taken for granted that anybody who can string words together to form a sentence is qualified to be a media aide. This quackery has given birth to many of the unnecessary sensitivity and tension that clothe our environment today. Media aides are supposed to be sound communication professionals who understand, speak and write English language as it should be. They should have clear understanding of issues concerning their principals, and rise up to managing such issues without necessarily courting troubles or making enemies for their principals.

A media aide should be conversant with different styles of writing and switch tones and moods during writing to achieve result. A media aide like a minister for information should be at the heartbeat of communication policy, culture and style of his principal. He should have a likable personality, trustworthy, and have honour and integrity.

The job of a media aide is not limited to issuing press releases or making press statements. It is not limited to running media errands and/ or filing tear sheets. It is much more than that. A media aide that knows his salt is always thinking of how to creatively manage every public utterance and appearance of his principal.

But what we have in our hand is a situation where media aides are chosen by politicians to do the dirty work of lying and carrying propaganda. They turn media aides to media rats and attack dogs that are unleashed on anybody that holds a contrary position to that of their principal’s. This of course demeans and dismisses the status of the office. Ideally, a media aide is a professional that has lots of positive contributions to make to the success of his principal. Politicians and leaders have not come to terms with the demands of media aides, the hazards and challenges. Unfortunately, the profession has suffered so much battery and image damage because it has become an all comers affair especially in this era of digital media where everyone with access to smartphone has become a media person.

A media aide is a communication, media and image manager of his principal. He combines lots of jobs and does justice to them. A media aide knows that communication is not same thing as propaganda. There is a world of difference between them. While propaganda thrives on make belief and exaggeration, communication is sincere, genuine, purposeful and factual. The unfortunate thing is that the environment we find ourself does not allow for triumph of substance over shadow. The result is that media aides have been decapitated, maligned and robbed of their confidence and professionalism. While the professionals that occupy the position labour to keep their heads high, preserve their integrity, honour and reputation, the quacks on the other hand make a field day turning the practice on its head and making mockery of the practice.

A true media aide holds the image/acceptability of his principal high and above every other consideration. He is meticulous in his media releases, and knows when to react to an issue and when not to. Even when he reacts to an issue, he does so with utmost consideration, carefully choosing his words and tone to deliver the message he intends to. A true media aide is a mirror of the principal – he studies him and knows even his thought processes and communication styles. A true media aide is courteous respecting of other people’s opinion, thoughtful and easily accessible. He does not issue any communication without weighing its bearing and implications on his principal. He advises his principal on the many dimensions of any public communication.

One of the biggest challenges facing media aides is getting the attention of their principals, and getting them to listen to advice. Politicians generally are not the listening type especially when they have made up their minds on the way to go. A politician, like the payer of the piper dictates the tune, and so does not feel compelled to listen to the wise counsel of their media aides. A media aide should have unfettered access to his principal, he should know the right time to advice his principal on contentious issues that are in public domain and the impact of such issues on his personality and position. He should not be coerced into taking actions that will weaken the position of his principal and leave him disadvantaged. A professional media aide should gauge and take the mood of the society into consideration before issuing any communication.